Hackintosh back from dead: A hack re-enables the Atom processor support in OS X 10.6.2

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Fans of the Hackintosh project will be delighted by this new hack that re-enables the Atom processor support in Snow Leopard 10.6.2. However, it isn’t a point-and-click affair like before and involves the command line, Unix commands, and replacing the OS X’s kernel with a hacked version, ruling out beginners. The full instructions can be found in a Russian blog post (original in Russian, Google translation).

The second Snow Leopard software update posted ten days ago fixed a number of glitches and 150 bugs found in OS X 10.6. It also arrived with a “hidden” feature that has disabled the support for Intel’s Atom processor used in cheap netbooks. As a result, users running a hacked Snow Leopard version on their netbooks were unable to update to the latest version. Even though some feared that OS X 10.6.2 spelled doom for the Hackintosh project, the cat-and-mouse game between Apple and the hacking community continues.

Christian’s Opinion

It’s interesting that Apple has been keeping one eye closed on the Hackintosh project thus far. A whole new community has flourished around folks running OS X on netbooks. Has anything in particular motivated Apple to intentionally disable the Atom processor compatibility in Snow Leopard 10.6.2? Have the company’s Mac sales suffered due to the Hackintosh project? If Apple’s past quarterly earnings are any indication, the Mac sales are on the rise and show no sign of stopping. Apple is aware that the vast majority of Hackintosh fans install OS X on cheap netbooks, the category that Apple refuses to address.

But what if Apple is planning to release a very low priced version of OS X for netbooks? Wouldn’t it be the ultimate Hackintosh project? This idea has legs and could benefit Apple in ways more than one. The company would turn extra profit by selling Snow Leopard to netbook owners. Users wouldn’t have to mess with hacks, instability, and the inability to apply the latest OS updates. At the same time, this OS X version wouldn’t run on PC desktops and notebooks in order to protect Mac hardware sales. And let’s not forget Google’s operating system that will hit netbooks in a 12-months time.